So much more

Stretch out your hand. (Luke 6:10) 

Critics play an important role in the music world. They help the public to evaluate what is good, and by doing so, they set standards for music. But critics can also be closed to anything new or different. For example, one of Bach’s students called his music “turgid and confused.” A contemporary of Mozart called his music “overloaded and overstuffed.” One critic said of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony: “It was hard to figure out what all the noise was about.”

You could say that some Pharisees of Jesus’ day had become like those critics. In their zeal to preserve the Law, they had attached their own limited expectations to it. One of those limitations was that they taught that curing the sick was forbidden on the Sabbath—unless the sick person was in danger of death. The man whom Jesus healed in the synagogue had only a withered hand, so that clearly didn’t qualify. These Pharisees weren’t willing to admit that God could go beyond their assumptions of what the Law was all about.

This attitude can affect us as well. We can view our own assumptions about God as being the only thing that matters, and end up limiting him as a result. But our heavenly Father wants to take us beyond our expectations, both of who he is and of who we can become. He is not interested in healing you just enough so that you can squeak your way into heaven. He is a generous Father. He wants to fill you with so much grace that you dance through his gates joyfully, bringing countless people behind you whose lives you have touched!

Do you think it’s possible that you can know the Lord even more deeply than you do right now? Do you think it’s possible that you might be able to pray with someone and see them healed? Don’t be like those music critics with their limited expectations! God has great plans for you. So go ahead and stretch out your hand in faith and see how God fills you with his life, his love, and his power.

“Lord, open my eyes. Help me to see how much you have blessed me in the past, so that I can be open to receive your grace in the future.”

from wau.org

Choose to grow

By what authority are you doing these things? (Mark 11:28)

How do you react when someone lets you know that you did something wrong? For most of us, our reactions vary depending on the circumstance, the people involved, and even our mood at the time. Sometimes it’s anger, sometimes denial; sometimes we completely miss what the other person is trying to say to us. But the best response is also the most difficult: acceptance. To acknowledge that we were wrong, to acknowledge that we need to change, to apologize—this isn’t always easy.

We see one version of this played out in today’s Gospel reading. Just before this passage, Jesus had overturned the tables of the money changers in the Temple. Now some leaders come to Jesus and challenge his authority. “Who do you think you are?” they essentially ask. When Jesus questions their actions and motivations, they respond with defensiveness and hostility, and not much self-examination.

People around us bring up our errors for a variety of reasons. Some want the best for us, and they come to us in love. Others may be motivated by jealousy, insecurity, or anger. For many, there is a mixture of motives. But when Jesus “opposes” us, he has only one motivation: love. He has our best interests at heart. He engages us, he asks questions, he tries to deepen his relationship with us and purify our relationships with each other. He gives us a chance to grow. 

The religious leaders in today’s Gospel missed an opportunity. They were caught up in a conflict, and they didn’t let Jesus’ words touch them personally. Because they rejected him, Jesus didn’t press the issue—just as he doesn’t with us. He doesn’t just unilaterally change us; he always looks for our cooperation.

So what can we do to make sure we don’t miss opportunities to grow? First, be attentive. Listen for his voice throughout your day—in prayer, in the voice of a friend, in your conscience, or even out of the blue. Second, be receptive to what you hear, even when it’s hard. Choose to grow, and ask for his help.

Pay attention today to how you pay attention. See if you can hear the Lord as he deepens his work in you.

“Lord, help me recognize your gentle, encouraging words of correction today.”

from wau.org